Wagon-tongue support.



Patented luly I7, I900.

2 Sheets-Sheet J. C. LAMBERT.

WAGON TONGUE SUPPORT.

(Apphcahon filed Dec 9, 1899) No 653,9I7

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(No Model.)

Patented July I7, 1900.

J. c. LAMBERT. WAGON TONGUE SUPPORT.

(Applicationfiled Dec. 9, 1899.)

2 8haeis-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN CALVIN LAMBERT, OF TONICA, ILLINOIS.

WAGON-TONGUE SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 653,917, dated July 1'7, 1900. Application filed December 9, 1899. Serial No. 739,838. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN CALVIN LAMBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tonica, in the county of La Salle and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Wagon-Tongue Support, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in wagon-tongue supports.

The objects of the present invention are to improve the construction of wagon-tongue supports, more especially that shown and described in Patent No. 630,243, granted to me August 1, 1899, and to lessen the cost of constructing the same without impairing its efficiency, and to facilitate the adjustment of the spring to regulate the tension thereof.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of a wagon-tongue support constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to a portion of a running-gear. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View of the adjustable plate. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on line 4. 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view illustrating a modification of the invention. Fig. 6 is alongitudinal sectional view of the same.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the draw- 1ngs.

1 designates a holder constructed similar to that shown in the patent above referred to, provided with a curved guideway and secured to the rear end of a pivoted tongue 2, which is mounted on a transverse pin or pivot 3, between the front portions of the front hounds at of a running-gear. The holder receives and is engaged by a friction-roller 5, mounted on a suitable pivot 6, between the front ends of a pair of side rods 7, which are connected at their front and rear portions by transverse plates 8 and 9. The longitudinal side rods 7 are provided at their front ends with perforations or eyes for the reception of the pivot or spindle of the roller, and the rear portions 10 of the rods are threaded for the reception of nuts which engage the rear plate 9. These nuts 11 are adapted to be adjusted to arrange the rear plate in proper position for supporting a coiled spring 12, disposed on a sliding rod 13, which is connected at its front end to the front plate 8. The front and rear plates are provided with central and side openings for the longitudinal rods, and the front plate is adapted to slide on the side rods, the said rear plate and the side rods constituting a slide which is connected with the tongue of the running-gear and which is cushioned by the said spring, whereby the roller 5 is held in frictional engagement with the holder to retain the tongue in its several po-. sitions. The tongue is adapted to be swung upward and downward, as explained in the said patent, and the tongue-support will retain it in such positions. The spring, which is disposed on the central rod, is interposed between the front and rear plates, and by engaging the rear plate it is adapted to hold the friction-roll firmly in engagement with the holder. provided with an eye 14:, which engages a hook 15 of a longitudinally-adjustable plate 16, mounted over the front axle and provided with a longitudifial slot 17 for the reception. of the king-bolt 18. The front end of the adjustable plate 16 is bent upward to form the said hook 15, and the rear end of the plate 16 is also upturned to form an arm 19, which is provided with a threaded perforation 20 for the reception of an adjusting-screw 21. The adjusting-screw 21, by engaging the sand board or bolster, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, is adapted to move the plate rearward to regulate the tension of the spring. By unscrewing'the said adjusting-screw the tension of the spring will be lessened and the adjustable plate will be drawn forward.

Instead of engaging or connecting the front ends of the side rods with the holder, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, side rods 25, constructed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, may be provided. The side rods 25, which pass through perforations of front and rear plates 26 and 27 are provided at their rear ends with hooks or eyes 28,Which are linked into eyes 29 of an adjustable plate 30. The adjustable plate 30, which extends The rear end of the central rod is beneath the rear bolster, similar to the adj ustable plate 16, heretofore described, is provided at its back with an arm havinga threaded perforation for the reception of an adj usting-screw 31 for regulating the tension of the spring 32. The spring 32, which is interposed between the front and rear plates 26 and 27, is mounted on a rod 33, bifurcated at its front end to receive an antifriction-roller 35, and the latter is arranged within a holder 36, similar to that heretofore described. The antifriction-roller is mounted on a suitable pivot, the rear end of the central rod 33 is threaded for the reception of a nut 37, and the front ends of the side rods are threaded and have nuts 38 mounted on them and engaging the front plate. This arrangement, which is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings, operates similar to that heretofore described, and the construction can, if desired, be further modified by rigidly securing the plate to the running-gear. The sand board or bolster of the running-gear may be slotted to receive the plate if it be impracti cal to arrange the same between the sand board or bolster and the axle.

It will be seen that the improved device, while possessing all the advantages of the tongue-support of the patent referred to, is simpler and less expensive in construction and that the tensioning-spring is readily regulated by the adj usting-screw, which engages the sand board or bolster.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this in vention.

What is claimed is- 1. An automatic wagon tongue support comprising a holder designed to be mounted on atongue, a spring-pressed slide having one end engaging the holder, a guide receiving the slide, and an adjustable plate designed to be mounted on the running-gear in rear of the tongue and hingedly connected with the said support, substantially as described.

2. An automatic wagon -tongue support comprising a holder designed to be mounted on a tongue, a spring-pressed slide engaging the holder, a supporting device receiving the slide, a plate designed to be mounted on the running gear in rear of the tongue, and hingedly connected with the said supporting device, andan adjusting device mounted on the rear portion of the plate, substantially as described.

3. An automatic wagontongue support comprising a holder, side rods connected at their upper ends with and engaging the holder, front and rear plates mounted on the side rods and connecting the same, the rear plate being engaged by the said rod, a central rod connected with the front plate, a spring disposed on the central rod and interposed between the plates, and an adjusting device designed to be mounted on the runhing-gear in rear of the tongue and connected with the central rod, substantially as described.

4. An automatic wagon tongue support comprising a holder, a pair of side rods, a roller arranged within the holder and mounted between thefrontends of the side rods, thefront and rear plates connecting the side rods, the rear plate being engaged by the same, a central rod connected with the front plate and provided at its rear end with an eye, a spring disposed on the rod and interposed between the front and rear plates, an adjustable plate provided atits front end with a hook to engage the eye, and an adjusting device arranged at the rear end of such plate, substantially as described.

5. An automatic tongue-support compris ing a holder designed to be mounted on a tongue, an adjustable plate designed to be arranged on the running-gear in rear of the tongue, the reversely-arranged rods connected respectively with the holder and with the adjustable plate and hinged to the latter, and a spring for cushioning the rods, substantially as described.

6. An automatic tongue=support compris ing a holder designed to be mounted on a tongue and having a guideway, a plate designed to be mounted on the running-gear in rear of the tongue, an antifriction-roller arranged in the guideway of the holder, a cushioning-spring, and the reversely-arranged rods connected at their inner end with the spring, and at their outer ends, respectively, with the antifrictiou roller and with the plate, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN CALVIN LAMBERT.

WVituesses:

GEO. SEIDEL, JOHN E. HARTENBOWVER- 

